DC CLEAN RIVERS - POTOMAC RIVER TUNNEL PROJECT

DC Water will begin mobilizing a construction site at Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway NW impacting pedestrian and vehicle traffic. The site setup, part of the Authority's Potomac River Tunnel Project, will require temporary lane closures and restrict access to a section of Rock Creek Trail. Starting on or about January 27, 2025, weather permitting, the lane closure will occur during non-peak hours (9:30 AM – 3:30 PM) for approximately one month, while the trail closest to the river will remain closed for about four months.

Pedestrians and bicyclists should follow posted signage for Rock Creek Trail and use the path closest to Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway. Drivers should also be aware of lane closures impacting traffic patterns and follow directional signage. The closures, located between F Street NW, and Virginia Avenue NW, are necessary to ensure the safety of pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and workers near the work zones along the river side of Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway NW.  Please refer to the map below for additional details. 

Map: The red line highlights the temporary single-lane closure of the eastbound Rock Creek Pkwy NW curb lane during non-peak hours for one month.

At this site, DC Water will construct a diversion facility to direct captured combined sanitary sewage and stormwater to the Potomac River Tunnel. Site setup work will include installing sediment and erosion control and fences, site grading, and traffic control set-up. While part of the existing trail is closed, a new trail will be created closer to the river around the future construction area and will open to the public once completed.

Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway NW 

• Date: January 27, for approximately one month, weather permitting.
• Location: Rock Creek and Potomac Pkwy NW between F St NW and Virginia Ave NW.
• Traffic Pattern Changes and Pedestrian/Bicycle Detours:
  • Traffic: There will be a single-lane closure of the eastbound curb lane during non-peak hours.
  • Day/Time: Monday – Friday from 9:30 am – 3:30 pm
  • Pedestrian Detours: Pedestrians and bicyclists will be directed to use the path closest to the parkway. The riverside trail will remain closed for approximately four months.   

Important Information

• Commuters and pedestrians will notice road signs and flagging personnel directing them through the temporary closures.
• Please plan your travel routes accordingly and anticipate potential delays. Traffic control measures will be in place to guide motorists safely through the area.

Project Details

The Potomac River Tunnel is the next major phase of the DC Clean Rivers Project. The project consists of a large-diameter deep sewer tunnel, diversion facilities, drop shafts, and support structures to capture flows from existing combined sewer overflows (CSOs) along the Potomac River and convey them to the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. The project is needed to reduce CSOs that contribute to water quality impairment of the Potomac River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay; and to comply with the 2005 Federal Consent Decree entered by DC Water, the District of Columbia, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the US Department of Justice, as amended in January 2016.

CSOs are released into the Potomac River from CSO Outfalls during rainfalls that exceed the capacity of the system. CSOs impair water quality by increasing water bacteria levels, contributing to low dissolved oxygen impacting aquatic life, and increasing the amount of trash in waterways. An estimated 654 million gallons of CSOs currently enter the Potomac River in a year of average rainfall. The proposed controls are estimated to reduce the volume of CSOs to the Potomac River by 93% and reduce their frequency from approximately 74 events to 4 events in a year of average rainfall.

For more information

Project Email: dcpotomacrivertunnel@dcwater.com
Project Website: www.dcwater.com/prt
Project Hotline: 202-972-1388
DC Water 24-hour Emergency: 202-612-3400